QPR1st
Season tickets: We write to the board PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 27 January 2010 22:33
Below is the text of the letter which QPR1st has written to each member of the Club's Board of Directors

 

We are writing this open letter to you in regard to your impending discussion regarding next season's ticket prices in order to ensure that the views and interests of  your most valuable asset, QPR supporters, will be given due consideration. 

In the past couple of years we feel that certain mistakes have been made which have resulted in widespread discontent amongst the fan base and falling attendances. We fully understand that, like any business, it is important to maximise revenue, but we would like to make the point that a decline in ticket sales clearly runs counter to this objective and it is in all parties' best interests (club and fans) for upcoming decisions to be made with the clear intention of reversing this trend. 

With this in mind, we would like to present a number of recommendations:

1/ Ticket Prices

 

It is imperative that ticket prices not be increased for the upcoming season. Recent increases have made QPR one of the most expensive teams to watch in the Championship and we are convinced that further increases would not result in increased revenue, as the additional income from each ticket would be offset against a reduced number of tickets sold.

Our recommendation is that existing ticket prices for each pricing band are maintained or ideally reduced in order to stimulate demand.

2/ Price Banding

One of the major complaints amongst supporters is that the price banding that has been applied to the Loftus Road end of the ground is unfair and unreasonable. The view from behind the goal is clearly not as good as the view from along the side: you are a long way from the play at the far end of the ground and the depth perception for play in that area is difficult. This is why ticket prices for seats behind the goal have traditionally always been less than ticket prices along the side of the pitch. This is also QPR's end of the ground and as such is the place where many of the team's most loyal fans have chosen to sit. It is easy to see why many of these fans feel that they are being taken advantage of: it seems as though they are being charged a premium for showing their loyalty to the team by sitting in the QPR end of the ground rather than on the side, which presents a better view of the match. Re-classification of the Loft Upper and Loft Lower would go a long way towards improving the club's relationship with its most loyal fans. Furthermore, a suitable re-classification of the Loft Lower could make it an attractively priced family section.

Our recommendation is to re-classify the Loft Upper to Silver (the restricted view corner should remain Bronze) and the Loft Lower to Bronze.

 

3/ Early Bird Discount.

 

The Early Bird Discount provides a clear benefit to those who support the team year after year and it is vitally important to continue to retain these loyal fans. It is also important that these fans can see the benefit provided by the Early Bird Discount by making the non-discounted price available at the same time as the Early Bird Discount price. Failure to do this leaves a credibility question mark over the whole process and leaves fans unable to determine what benefit, if any, will be gained from renewing early. This offer could also be extended to recently lapsed season ticket holders to encourage them to become season ticket holders again.

Our recommendation is to provide an Early Bird Discount for season ticket renewals and to publish both the Early Bird Discount price and the non-discounted price at the same time. We also recommend that the Early Bird Discount offer is extended to recently lapsed season ticket holders.

 

4/ Interest on Instalments

Making season tickets available via instalment payments makes it easier for fans to buy season tickets, which should certainly result in increased season ticket sales. It is hard to see how this does not benefit everybody. The only issue here is that of interest on the instalments. Fans that choose this option are already stretching their budget to support the team and we feel that it is important for the club to offer favourable terms as an incentive to take advantage of the scheme, in line with that offered at other Clubs.

Our recommendation is to provide the ability to pay for season tickets in instalments whilst minimising any interest that is charged.

 

To conclude, we appreciate that reducing season ticket prices and the re-classification of the price banding for the Loftus Road end of the ground will result in reduced revenue for each ticket sold. However, we believe that even in the short term this may be offset by increased revenue from additional tickets sold. It will also have the long term benefit of reversing the trend of decreasing attendances, which in turn will eventually result in increased total revenue, both from ticket sales and merchandise.

We look forward to receiving your feedback and would welcome the opportunity to meet with the Board of Directors to discuss our recommendations in more detail.

 

 

 
Is Briatore the Gerald Ratner of the Football world? PDF Print E-mail
Saturday, 23 January 2010 01:07


 
A golden rule of business is not to insult your customers and it is a rule that Gerald Ratner forgot when he suggested that people who bought from his shops were happy buying 'cr*p'. His shops became empty shells as people decided they would spend elsewhere.
 
Yet Mr. Briatore's reported comments suggest a similar disdain for the ordinary fan, as well as exposing his ignorance. Somebody needs to take him inside and show him just how much revenue the Club gets from ticket sales, as well as the purchase of merchandise , and maybe he might hold fans in less disdain. Perhaps he rarely travels on trains or pays for his own petrol so perhaps he has no idea how much fans especially those who attend away matches are spending just to get to the ground.
 
Fans stick with a Club through thick and thin and unlike shop customers are not going to decide to take their custom elsewhere overnight. Yet there is a drip tap effect as more and more fans stop going to as many matches or decide not to renew their season tickets. Does no-one in the Club have the courage to show Mr. Briatore the evidence of declining income from ticket sales and club merchandise?

 
Something rotten in the state of QPR PDF Print E-mail
Saturday, 16 January 2010 12:07

The progress of our squad continues to be significantly hampered by the Club's inability to establish a consistent and stable coaching team. As yet another manager takes an early bath, it becomes increasingly difficult to believe that QPR has just been very unfortunate in its choice of managers and not conclude that there are deep-rooted problems within the Club.

QPR1st Committee shall be writing to the Board of Directors to express our concern about the current situation and to request answers to specific questions.

In the meanwhile we wish to offer our full support to Mick Harford in yet again taking over the mangerial reins.

 

 

 

 
Send in the Clowns at Loftus Road PDF Print E-mail
Monday, 18 January 2010 14:07

A Facebook group is urging fans to wear a red nose or don a clown wig at our next home game to let our Board of Directors know what we think of them!

 

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=277230406473

Meanwhile in an interview with the Daily Mirror, Mr. Briatore lets us know what he thinks of us:

 

"Don't forget, QPR now have the kind of players they couldn't have dreamed of having before.

"Don't forget, too, that without us, QPR would have gone bankrupt. We have improved the stadium and we are doing the best for the club.

"We have to take it step by step. I believe we have the talent and the players to get into the play-offs. Mick will stay in charge until the end of the season.

"People forget very quickly what I did for this club. Some fans, because they pay £20, they want to criticise.

"It's very easy for me to walk away. I don't have any problem with that. We want to keep the club but somebody needs to remember QPR three years ago and look at it now. Some people are jealous. There's a lot of jealousy.

 
QPR1st meets with club regarding Stewards PDF Print E-mail
Saturday, 16 January 2010 11:53

Meeting 17/12/09

Club: Safety Officers Clive Doyle/Phil Lawerence

QPR1st: Stephen Dedridge/ Neil Jackson

Background to meeting

QPR1st contacted the Club to express our concerns about the stewarding at the Barnsley and Reading matches. Fans, especially in R and Q blocks, were in a naturally exuberant mood at these matches and it appeared that some stewards found this difficult to manage without resorting to what was perceived by some as  ‘heavy handed’ tactics.

When we announced that we had contacted the Club on our website, we received feedback from fans which mostly supported our stance. Nevertheless this feedback suggested that there is not a pervasive problem with stewarding at the Club but rather than issues related to isolated incidences involving a small number of stewards.

Stewards

It was explained that the Club employs a small team of stewards but the majority are provided through two agencies. The Club would like to increase the number of stewards it directly employs and reduce dependency on agency staff but finding suitable applicants to fill posts has proved problematic.

Agency staff tend to be transient which restricts consistency in terms of posting stewards in particular areas as well as in approach.

Despite these limitations the Club is keen to work towards the ideal of ‘community stewarding’.

Training

The Club requires agency staff to provide training records and carry out occasional checks to verify these records.  At any one match, there may be a small number of untrained agency staff (approximately half a dozen) but they will be accompanied by a supervisor.

The Club has put on further training (NVQ Level 3) for agency staff at its own cost. The difficulty in providing training is that there is no guarantee that agency staff who receive it will return to Loftus Road.

Complaints

Fans who believe that a steward has been abusive or confrontational towards them are encouraged to complain, in order that the Club can address the issue, if necessary by ensuring that the steward in question is prevented from working at Loftus Road again.

Fans are advised not to continue arguing with a steward but rather to make their complaint either at the match to a supervisor (who wear yellow coats and carry large radios) or by emailing the Club at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Fans should record the number on the steward’s jacket and also the colour of the jacket. They should also try to obtain contact details of any witnesses to the event.

It was pointed out that threats of violence and verbal abuse directed towards stewards is unacceptable.

Behaviour of fans

The Club has received an increasing number of complaints about fans behaviour from other fans. QPR1st has asked if we can receive more information about what behaviour is upsetting other fans and how frequently complaints are being made.

Standing at matches

The Club appreciates that some fans resent being told to sit down by stewards. The Club though states that  it is under pressure from the Football League and the Local Council and will face sanctions if not seen to challenge persistent standing.  

 
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